The ground and the game were very much like local weather - cold, wet and miserable. As a test of character though, the Bluebirds again proved their credentials beyond doubt.
After a fortnight’s break due to international action (even though we didn’t see as much action as we would have liked from Wales), there was a sense of anticipation about watching City again. It was an anticipation shared by 1,800 travelling supporters – a magnificent turn out for such an unattractive trip.
Wimbledon, dubbed Franchise F.C. by football fans, are a “dead club walking” for numerous reasons not worth covering in a match report. Some see the origin of their slump as a certain Sam Hammam who sold their Plough Lane stadium but that’s too simplistic. Sam had them playing well above their means for years with no great support from fans and community – what we would give for fourteen years in the Premiership and a FA Cup win!
Their situation became infinitely worse after Sam left. Debts went out of control under Norwegian owners who never really invested. Latest owner Charles Koppel become reviled for openly going out of his way the move the club. His eventual move to Milton Keynes, 65 miles and the opposite end of London from “home” – was the final straw as The Dons maligned hardcore support who understandably turned their backs on their club. Their breakaway non-league club, AFC Wimbledon, was watched by three times as many fans last season as the First Division team that they cast aside. Milton Keynes is hardly a marriage in heaven either, the rent and conditions of their move allied to indifferent, apathetic local support has those debts continuing to spiral. Wimbledon’s only measures of success are survival – both financially and in Division One – the prospects for either seem grim.
City fans set off early, most following the M4 then A420 towards Oxford and cross-country into Milton Keynes, north of Northampton. Many listened to the Rugby World Cup Final en route, one fan on our coach bringing a 14” black and white battery operated tv which he held all the way, mad boy. England’s dramatic victory not receiving great adulation amongst ourselves although, in truth, most weren’t particularly bothered. It’s only egg chasing after all, a game for failed footballers and fat bullies.
I didn’t see much of Milton Keynes but enough to see it was a concrete jungle with no character, roads built in straight lines everywhere you looked. If you’ve a fetish for roundabouts, this is Mecca. The shopping centre was nice apparently. I missed its ‘legendary’ concrete cow but having just got divorced from one, I wasn’t keen to see another anyway! City had designated pubs but were allowed the run of the place.
Bluebirds visiting Wetherspoons had the novelty entertainment of meeting a Wimbledon equivalent of a suicide bomber. Their lack of support never better demonstrated that one of their fans deciding to confront City fans on his own. The hero-cum-nutter was quickly removed courtesy of a few City fans and then bouncers. What a guy! Just as entertaining for some was seeing my camera mobile fail an unscheduled experiment. It failed to work again after being accidentally dropped into my pint of Guinness.
Wimbledon’s new lodgings are the National Hockey Stadium. If I was English, I’d be ashamed to label it a National Stadium. As primitive as anything in the lower divisions or non-league, only one stand would be what you would expect in the modern era. The other three, including City’s away end behind one goal, were uncovered, ‘basic’ is not the word. Our away end will presumably return to the 18th hole of wherever the British Open Golf Championship is played next summer. The permanent stand to our left, running just 15 yards either side of the halfway line but as steep as a ski-jump take-off must be the strangest in league football. There were rumours that the pitch passed a lunchtime inspection but it looked in decent, firm condition all things considered.
Wimbledon had the bare-faced cheek to charge us £20 for the privilege of getting soaked, frozen and losing the will to live. They originally wanted to charge £27 until City complained. With a rip-off attitude like that, they deserve to fail. City fans were even banned from bringing umbrellas into the ground but some were offered those ultra-unsexy condom looking plastic sheet kagouls. Better to be soaked than look a complete knob was my attitude to them, not everyone agreed.
Lennie sprung a surprise facing his only real selection choice. Who did he play in central midfield with Kav crocked for a couple of week by the most unfriendly tackles in a friendly for Eire against Canada? QPR’s Marc Bircham foul looked like bitterness and a legacy of City’s and Kav’s play-off win over him. Willie Boland was expected to come in as befits Lennie’s safe and steady ways but he went for Richard Langley so City fielded Alexander, Croft-Gabbidon-Vidmar (Capt. for the day)-Barker, Robinson-Langley-Boland-Gray with Earnie and Gordon paired again in attack. Rhys Weston and Peter Thorne were available again after injuries, Thorne joined Margetson, Boland, Prior and Campbell with the subs, Weston will have to wait his chance.
Wimbledon must rely on inexperience and youth, they have little experience. Their youth academy has done them proud though, let’s hope City’s gets going soon. Their side was Banks, McAnuff, Small, Aygemang, Nowland, Chorley, Leigertwood, Herzig, Darlington, Lewington, Reo-Coker. McAnuff, Aygemang and Reo-Coker were best known to City fans. All were linked to us over the summer and all performed well.
Reo-Coker, an English Under-21 international, and McAnuff who also had moves to Premiership Portsmouth fall through over the summer certainly did more than enough to show their futures will soon be elsewhere at a higher level. They would certainly enhance City’s sqaud if Sam and Lennie retain their interest with the transfer window re-opening shortly.
Keeper Steve Banks has just returned after 2 months absence and averted a major crisis as their other two goalies were injured too. Their reserve keeper on the bench was 16 year old David Martin, son of ex-West Ham player Alvin Martin.
The Dons are however showing the necessary fight and starting to turn their season around. Bottom of the table all season, they collected just 4 points and 1 win from their opening 14 games, they remain bottom but had won three of their last 5 games before facing City. They were therefore not the walkover they once appeared to be, a recent victory at West Brom telling City that there was no room for complacency.
With poor conditions, three-quarters of the ground uncovered and every corner of the ground completely open, the atmosphere was moon-like i.e. non-existent. I bet it’s warmer on the moon though. The away end view was poor too, a catering van selling coffee and hot dogs as good as it got. The crowd was 5,056 but the occasion had the look and feel of watching a reserve fixture with one man and his dog.
The only brightness was City being Tango’d. They were forced to play in the luminous orange third strip only seen before in pre-season Scandinavian action. Their blue and black kits weren’t significantly different in colour from the “home” side’s dark blue colours. It was shocking, looked more a training kit. Start praying that you don’t get one for Christmas!
What followed was the dullest of games but City always showed extra quality where and when it mattered, their extra experience counted and they ground out a deserved victory. Not only was it raining in our faces, the wind was raw and biting making it near arctic. It was entirely in keeping with the match that the goal itself was a fluke. It was that sort of match, totally forgettable. Just as well really as overwork, a lack of sleep plus Budweiser, Strongbow and Guinness significantly reduced my capabilities to remember that much. Erm, I blame my sleep deprivation personally!
With the ball zipping around on the greasy top, the opening was fast and frantic with City opening very well and firmly in control. They enjoyed almost continuous possession and domination inside Wimbledon’s half but it was the home team who had first strike, Reo-Coker letting go from 30 yards but Alexander was well behind it. From the resulting move upfield, City had their first attempt with Gray making Banks save from a 25 yard effort. The next effort on goal wasn’t an effort at all but it was a goal as Crofty got what turned out to be the winner.
Receiving the ball on the right wing, Croft played the ball in to Gavin Gordon, again failing to make any real impression as his chances run out. If you’re a City fan, Gordon controlled the ball before playing it back, if you’re a Wimbledon fan, then he handled but our talisman referee Howard Webb, ref in our play-off wins over Bristol City and QPR and in charge of a City game for the third time already this season, was happy with it.
CROFT spotted Earnie making a run and hit a inswinging ball from the touchline, 40 yards out. Banks was like a rabbit in headlights waiting to react to Earnie’s touch and shot anticipating an effort to the left but he missed it, the ball skidded off the surface and flew straight in the opposite corner. City fans were jumping up and down, partly to celebrate the goal, mostly to keep warm and shake the wet off.
Cardiff bossed the remainder of the half, in charge of the crucial midfield battle with Bonner’s sheer industry making him stand out and while Langley can never replace Kav, he was doing ok, his quick feet always finding him space. John Robinson was quiet, it later emerged he was suffering from flu (I hope he had thermals on!) but came closest to doubling the lead with a shot that rose over the bar. Julian Gray now into his second month on loan is quality and surely has a future at City.
The conditions, Wimbledon’s fighting spirit and the fact that they genuinely have some quality players did however mean City never carved the openings to match their undoubted extra quality. Earnie, sturggling to get in the game, made Banks save and that was about it. The home side, like many before them this season, found Cardiff’s defence resolute and firm, Vidmar again standing out making Alexander extremely well protected, his only saves being routine to stop distance efforts from Small and Reo-Coker but as half-time arrived, there were signs of Wimbledon taking the game to City as Bonner was booked for stopping Reo-Coker and Wimbledon winning three successive corners.
Half-Time: WIMBLEDON 0 CITY 1
The second-half was a poor spectacle, so much so that I was reduced to abusing the linesman at our end for no good reason. It was just that sort of afternoon that you were reduced to making your own entertainment. Rarely have City fans wanted the final whistle to blow early, not so much because we were hanging on but simply because we wanted to get back into warm cars and coaches.
All credit must go to Wimbledon who took the game to City and had us on the back foot for most of the period. Cardiff were guilty of again falling too deep which encouraged the home side forward more and in greater numbers as the pressure built up but City held out for their 6th clean sheet in 10 games, a spell in which just 5 have been conceded, and 8th clean sheet overall this season - no mean feat at this level of football.
Cardiff held firm but also rode their luck under a 45 minute bombardment. McAnuff tested Alexander early on with another distance shot before he ruined his otherwise excellent show as he missed an absolute sitter. Meeting a low ball across the area and Alexander with the goal gaping he somehow failed to control it, the ball coming off his thigh and going over. Alexander made a superb stop to deny another Reo-Coker piledriver.
City’s midfield were certainly feeling the pressure. It was no surprise to see the unusually quiet John Robinson removed for Boland to scamper and close down after 67 minutes (I have to admit that in my state, I didn’t even realise he was playing until then) shortly after City’s first effort of the half as Earnie made Banks stop an edge of area attempt.
Cardiff made more chances in the closing stages, Banks brilliantly stopping a Langley free-kick that looked destined for his top corner, Langley and Gordon meeting headers from dangerous crosses but not quite getting their power and placement right.
For the final onslaught, Wimbledon threw on Dean Holdsworth, possibly the final throwback to those Crazy Gang days under Sam Hammam. Sam apparently did not arrive at the match until half-time but saluted City fans on demand in the second period. Wimbledon “fans” by contrast were never heard all match but at least they spared us the “swing low, sweet chariot” dirge we might have expected elsewhere.
Wimbledon applied pressure right to the final whistle winning corners and free-kicks around the City goal but Cardiff’s no nonsense, block it, tackle it, get it, clear it, no messing about defending was exactly what was needed. Grit and determination won through, it was not a day for pretty football and Cardiff showed that when necessary, they have that in abundance too.
Final whistle was a huge relief. A relief we had won and got those three precious points but also relief that we could finally leave the hell forsaken place, albeit after cheering the players off the field for another job very well done.
Only the small matter of the journey home with Freddie Starr and Mr Bean videos. No wonder I feel asleep. Thanks to everyone who dressed me up in make-up and lipstick which got me some great looks on the Barry train, not the most popular destination for unsuspecting trannies!
As for City, 8th place, six points off the top, played more away than home and a game in hand on many. Dream daze. However, they have yet to beat anyone in the current Top Nine and our record, so far, is pretty miserable with Played: 5, Won: 0, Drawn 3 Lost 2. It is our record in head-to-head contests against the leading teams that will ultimately determine whether we succeed in a play-off challenge.
The test don’t come any bigger than the major week ahead with West Brom home (Tuesday) and Ipswich at Ninian on Saturday. If we are to make a real impression, it’s a chance we need to take
Report from FootyMad
Cardiff City's promotion bid gathered pace with a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Wimbledon at the National Hockey Stadium.
Wimbledon made only one change from the side that beat Gillingham 2-1 last week - Joel McAnuff replacing the inexperienced Ben Harding in midfield.
With captain Graham Kavanagh out through injury Tony Vidmar took the skipper's armband in his place for Cardiff.
Robert Earnshaw and Daniel Gabbidon, both fresh from international duty with Wales in midweek, lined up from the start hoping to put the disappointment of their Euro 2004 exit behind them.
The game got off to a lively start but it was the visitors who took the lead.
Gavin Gordon appeared to handle the ball in the Wimbledon penalty area but referee Howard Webb waved play on and Gary Croft's cross from the right eluded everyone and crept in at the far post.
Wimbledon's heads did not drop though and they pressed forward for the equaliser.
Nigel Reo-Coker spurned two good opportunities for the Dons midway through the half first shooting over after good work by Patrick Agyemang and then firing straight at City keeper Neil Alexander when through on goal just minutes later.
Cardiff were always a threat on the break but on the few occasions they did get behind the Wimbledon defence keeper Steve Banks was equal to the task.
Wimbledon enjoyed a lively start to the second half and almost equalised when the much-improved McAnuff ran through the Bluebirds defence before unleashing a fierce low shot that Alexander superbly tipped around the post.
Wimbledon dominated possession in the second half but created few real chances. Cardiff's best chance to double their lead came in the 73rd minute when Banks pulled off a fine save to push away Richard Langley 's free kick.
Wimbledon's pressure built up late on with McAnuff again running at the City defence but the Bluebirds held on for a valuable three points to leave the Dons still stuck at the bottom of Division One.
External reports
Western Mail